Casing and method of making the same



- 1 June 927 c. B. ALEXANDER CASING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME F; Lled April 15. 1922 Patented June 7, 1927.

barren STATES CASING AND METHOD OF mnxnvemnn s-eMn.

Application filed April 15, 1922. Serial No. 553,117,

' This inventionrelates to casings, and more particularly to casings for use in a -looseleat' binder and adapted to have a cover hinged thereto.

It is one object of this invention to provide a tubular member or casing which will .be of rugged structure and comprise but few parts, and an improved method of manufacture, whereby the making of the parts 1s simplified and their assembly facilitated.

It is also an object of theinvention toprovidea structure OfthiS kind having parts so designed as to permit economical manufacture. Itis a still further object- .ofthe invention to provide a simple and rugged metal hinge structurefor ,a tubular member or casing of this type, and a simple and eliective method of assembling the parts. Still. further objects I of theinvention and the "features of novelty will be apparent from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing,. in which:

l ig. lis a perspective fragmentary view of a loose-leaf-binder embodying one form of my invention;

'l ig. 2 is. aperspective view of certain of the parts, forming the casing shown in Fig. 1, before such parts are assembled;

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of theparts shown in Fig. 2, but in "assembled relation;

-Fig. l. is a perspective view of. almodified form of easing embodying my invent on; and. v V b Figs. 5 and (i are cross-sectional.views of the channel members shown in Figs. .l to at, before assembly.

' The bindershown in Fig. 1 comprisesa top easing A anda base B,'bet ween which loeseleavesC are placed. Spaced posts,v not shown, are rigidly mounted on the base B and. project upwardly there-from, suitable gripping mechanism beingniounted in the casing A for releasably .gr pping the tops otthese posts-which enter openings nthe lower side of the casing. The leaves are: placed in position on 'tlrepo stsyand the casing A is then placed in position to-hold the leaves in place, it being understood that, if. desired, openings may be formed in the top of theeasing'A to permit:thepoststo extend therethrongh. These details,- as well formed as shown in detail in Fig. 2.

as the details l of the releasable gripping mechanism, are not shown herein, since they constitute no part of the present invention. 1 Ajbottom cover D is hinged to the base 13, the. base comprisinga flat metal strip E which ishinged to a similar flat metal strip-F on the cover by forming offset hingeloops or lugs on the metal strips and passing a pin G through the aligned openings in such lugs. Itwill ;be understood that, if desired, the bottoin-D may be made rigid with the base B, or maybe connected thereto merely by the canvas, cloth, leather, paper, or other flexible material with which the parts are commonly bound or covered.

As shown in Fig. 1, the casing A is provided .with hinge loops or lugs H for co eperiationlwith similar otlsethinge loops or lugs .I which. are'formed' on a metal strip K rigidly secured, by rivets or in any other suitable 11181111613130 a topcover L, a pinG being. passechthrough' the alined openings in the lugs H and I to :hingedly connect the cover L to the casing r Thecasing A comprises'an inner channeled. member-M, a hinge member N and an outer channeled member 0, thesepartsbeing The member M has a substantially flat bottom portionirom which side portions P extend in slightly diverging relation. The member 0 is formed with a bottom .pertion substantially fiat, and with side portions Q, which extend in slightly converging relation from this-bottom portiointhe angle of convergence of these side portionsQ being preferably somewhat less than the anglev of divergence ofthe side portions P of the member'-M. One of the side portionsQ of the member 0 is notched partway down, as shown'at R, at the points at which hinge loops or lugs :H, in any desirable number, are to be positioned, the notchesxhaving slanting endsv so asto form overhanging triangular-projections S, for apnrpose which will be later described. The hinge member N-is a narrow flat strip of sheetmetal havigng-laterally extendingportions, in any desirabl'e number, bent at any appropriate and convenient angle thereto and. curved to form theihinge lugs or loops ;H.

In assembling the parts of the casing A,

til

side portions P between the strip N and the side aortion Q, at the other side of the mem ber and then telescopically moving the parts to the position shown in Fig. 3. The

1 triangular projections S are now, in any suitable manner, bent back toward the inserted member M, in which position they bind the hinge lugs 01' loops H tightly in the notches B, so that the hinge loops H will be rigidly secured to the casing as a whole, and the parts will be firmly held in assembled rela- .tion. tioned, it is not always necessary to bend out all of the projections S, it being sometimes sufficient to bend out only the projection at the one end of each notch, the hinge lugs or loops H, when inserted, following the slope at the other end of the notch, as the parts are assembled.

Since the side portions Q converge slightly, and at an angle less than the angle of divergence of the side portions P, it is assured that, when members M and O are telescopically assembled, the lower edges of the side portions P will slide on the bottom portion of the member 0, and the hinge strip N will be held securely by reason of the fact that it is clamped between the side portions P and Q. If desired, the casing may be made more rigid by tapping the upper edges of the side portions Q, with a hammer, after the parts are assembled, to compress them against the top of the inner casing member M.

I f, instead of the metal hinge, it is desired to utilize as a hinge the canvas, cloth, leather or other flexible material commonly used as a binding or covering for the casing A and the cover L, the casing is preferably made as shown in Fig. 4. In this modification, the hinge strip is omitted, the casing being formed of an inner casing member T, iden tical with the member l I, shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and an outer casing member U, similar to member O, shown in Figs. 1 to 3, but having no notches cut therein. It will be appreciated that, if desired, the member U may be made of slightly less width than the mem her 0, but it is preferable that the parts be so proportioned as to have a snug fit, whether the thickness of the hinge strip is interposed or not. so that either modification may be made from strip material of the same width, without change except as to the formation of notches R. It will also be understood that.

If the parts are properly propor-v when desired, either of the casings shown may be covered with a wrapping of glued paper, cloth, or other suitable paper to prevent rust, such covering still further enhancing the rigidity of the casing, and that there will be no rough surfaces tending to out such covering or mar the appearance thereof.

It will be apparent that the structures herein shown and described may be cheaply manufactured, the channeled members being formed from strip material, and the assembly requiring the simple step of telescoping the parts together. It will also be apparent that an additional step such as riveting over interlocking projections is avoided, and that the parts will form a rigid casing capable of withstanding the strains incident to use.

Having thus described my invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details of structure and assembly without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the follo ving claims.

What I claim is:

l.-In a loose leaf binder construction, a casing comprising two metal channeled members of uniform cross section from end to end having flat base portions and fiat side walls extending in opposite directions from their base portions, the side walls of one of said members being in divergingrelation and resiliently received between and substantially parallel with the side Walls of the other of said members.

2. In a loose leaf binder construction, a casing comprising an inner channeled memher and an outer channeled member each having flat side walls and of uniform crosssection from end to end, one of said members being inverted with respect to the other, the side walls of the inner channeled member being resiliently held between the side walls of the outer channeled member and the edges of the side walls of the inner channeled member engaging the bottom of the outer channeled member.

3. The combination of an inner channeled member and an outer channeled member, one of said members being inverted with respect to the other, and a' member having hinge loops and having a portion resiliently held between a side wall of said inner channeled member and the corresponding side wall of said outer channeled member.

4.-. The combination of an inner channeled member and an outer channeled member, said outer channeled member being inverted with respect to the inner channeled member and having a notch formed in one of its side walls, and a'h-inge member having a portion between said wall of the outer channeled member and the adjacent wall of the inner channeled member and having a hinge portion extending through said notch.

5. The combination of an inner channeled member and an outer "channeled -member, said outer 'channeled member being inverted with respect to the inner channeled member and-having a notch=formed in one of its side alls, and a hingemember having a portion between said. wall of the outer channeled member and the adjacent'wall of the inner channeled mei'nbler and-having, ahinge portion extending through said notch, the wall of said outer channeled member having pro jections overhanging the notch therein.

6. The combination of an inner channeled member and an outer channeled member, said outer channeled member being inverted with respect to the inner channeled member and having a notch formed in one of its side walls, and a hinge member having a portion between said wall of the outer channeled member and the adjacent wall of the inner channeled member and having a hinge portion extending through said notch, and means integral with said notched wall to retain said hinge portion seated in the notch.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a casing comprising adjacent inner and outer walls, said outer wall being formed with an opening, and a hinge member having a portion between said walls and a hinge portion ex tending through said opening.

8. In a loose leaf binder, a casing comprising adjacent inner and outer walls, said outer wall being formed with an opening,

and a hingemember having a portion between said walls and a hinge portion extending through said opening, said outer wall having means integral therewith for retaining said hinge portion seated in the opening therein. g

9. In a loose leaf binder, a casing comprising adacent inner and outer walls, said outer wall being .formed with an opening, and a hinge member having a portion clamped be tween said walls and a hinge portion extending through said opening.

10. In a. loose leaf binder, a casing comprising adjacent inner and outer walls, said outer wall being formed with an opening, and a hinge member having a portion resilient-ly held between said walls and a hinge portion extending through said opening, said outer wall having means integral therewith for retaining said hinge portion seated in the opening therein.

11. In a binder, the combination of an inner channeled member and an outer chanineled member, one of said members being inverted with respect to the other, said inner member having its side walls in diverging relation, and said outer member having its side walls in converging relation, one side wall of said outer member having an opening formed therein, and .a hinge member having a portion extending through said opening and a portion resiliently held between said sidewall and the adjacent side wall of said inner channeled member. r

12. Ina binder, the combination of an inner channeled memberqand-an outer'channeled member, one of said membersbeing in verted with respect to the-other, said inner member having its side wallsin'divergi-ng relation, and saidwontenmember having its side walls in converging relation, one side wall of said outermember having an opening formed therein, and a hinge member having a portion extending through said opening and a portion resiliently held between said side wall and the adjacent side wall of said inner channeled member, said outer member having means integral therewith for retaining said hinge portion seated in the opening.

13. The process of forming a binder casing comprising forming a channeled member with flat side walls in converging relation and a second channeled member with fiatside walls in diverging relation, each of said channeled members being of uniform cross sec tion from end to end, com ressing together the end portions of the walls of said second channeled member and inserting them with in an end of said first channeled member with said channeled members in inverted re lation, and sliding said channeled members together longitudinally.

14. The process of forming a binder casing comprising, forming a pair of channeled members, forming a strip with hinge lugs, inserting said strip in one of said channeled members in engagement with one side wall thereof, and telescopically engaging'the other of said channeled members within said first mentioned channeled member and in inverted relation thereto.

15. The process of forming a binder casing comprising, forming a channeled member with diverging side walls, forming a secnd channeled member with converging side walls and with a notch'in one of said side walls, forming a hinge member with a flat portion and a hinge lug, engaging the flat portion of said hinge member with said notched wall with the lug thereon extending throu h said notch, and telescopically engaging said first channeled member within the second channeled member, while inverted relative thereto, with its side walls between the fiat portion of said hinge member and the opposite side wall of said second channeled member.

16. The process of securing a hinge member to a casing which comprises forming one wall of the casing with a notch having an overhanging projection, bending said projection outwardly, enga ing the hinge member with the inner surface of said wall with its hinge lug extending through. said notch, and bending said pro ection back to overhang said hinge lug.

17. The process of forming a hinged cashing-e lug extending through said -notch, ening which comprises forming a channeled gaging said second channeled member Within 10 member With a notch in one side Wall and a said first channeled member and in inverted projection overhanging said'notch, forming a relationship thereto, and bending back said member With a hinge lug, forming a second projection to overhang said lug. I channeled member, bending'said projection In testimony whereof I'have aflixed my outwardly, inserting said hinge member signature. Within said first channeled member with its CLINTON B; ALEXANDER. 

